Yes, excessive torque in a motor can cause definite problems and this is in terms of mechanical and electrical failure.
Here are the key points:
Motor overloading takes place when a specific motor has to work with an unnecessary torque or load that will make it pull extra current.
The main signs include the cases when it is too hot, its output torque is low, and the current it consumes is rather high.
Physically, an overloaded motor will only put much pressure on various parts such as bearings, shaft, and other anticipative units.
There is also a possibility for misalignment and imbalance which lead to vibration and additional deterioration.
Technologically, an overload generates a condition in the windings that leads to the breakdown of insulation and short circuiting of the motor and hence failure.
One of the main reasons for damage of insulation is overheating.
Finally, in critical conditions, if a motor stalls due to overload, the windings can get burnt due to high current through them. The motor may also start rotating in the opposite direction at very high speeds if the overload protection trips and this may causes very dangerous voltages.
To prevent overload damage:
- Employ correct form of overload protective devices such as circuit breakers or thermal overloads to switch off the power in case of overloads.
- The loads that the motor applies to should not be in any way over its torque rating.
- You should scan for misalignment, imbalance, and contamination that adversely affect the mechanical load
- Maintain the motor in a good condition to ensure high efficiency so that it does not over heat.
Some automatic methods to limit torque include:
- Incorporating a torque limiting clutch or coupling.
- The use of a VFD that comes with the ability to set the amount of torque to be exerted invariantly.
- Another measure that needs to be taken is to summarize the torque by means of a closed-loop torque control system incorporating a torque sensor.
Thus, in conclusion, it can be stated that excessive torque is one of the leading causes of motor failure that need to be avoided with help of proper choice of the motor, protection means used, and timely service.
It is suggested that torque limitation should occur automatically for the highly sensitive processes.